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Weekly updates

Wandsworth's Housing Crisis: Costs Soar, Families Suffer

This week in Wandsworth:

Temporary Housing Crisis Grips Wandsworth as Costs Soar

Wandsworth Council is grappling with a severe temporary accommodation (TA) crisis, with costs spiralling and a growing number of families facing prolonged stays in temporary housing. The Housing Committee met to discuss the issue, highlighting the immense financial strain on the borough and the devastating impact on vulnerable residents, especially children. Read the full meeting details here.

  • The Stakes: The homelessness crisis is worsening, placing immense pressure on council finances and leaving families in unstable living situations, impacting their health, education, and overall well-being.
  • Legal Duty: Councils have a legal obligation to provide temporary accommodation to priority need homeless households, as defined by the Housing Act 1996.
  • Record Numbers: As of June 2025, over 132,000 households in England are in temporary accommodation, with more than half located in London.
  • Demographic Breakdown: In Wandsworth, temporary accommodation houses 2,755 female-headed households, 1,837 male-headed households, and 492 residents aged 18-24.
  • Financial Black Hole: London boroughs collectively face a funding gap of at least £700 million for temporary accommodation in 2025-26, posing the single biggest risk to their finances.
  • Prolonged Stays: The average time spent in temporary accommodation for those rehoused in 2024/25 was 43 months, with current occupants averaging 27 months.

Cleaner Borough Plan: Are Streets Really Cleaner?

The Housing Committee also received an update on Phase Two of the Cleaner Borough Plan, an initiative aimed at improving waste collection and street cleaning services. While the council claims improvements, it remains to be seen if residents are experiencing a tangible difference on their streets. Read the full meeting details here.

  • The Stakes: Effective waste management and street cleaning are essential for public health, environmental quality, and community pride.
  • Phase One Results: The council claims that Phase One led to increased recycling rates and reinvestment of savings into street cleaning.
  • Phase Two Claims: The council reports reductions in missed bin collections, expanded Mega Skip provision, increased bulky waste collections, and more frequent street cleansing.
  • Fly-tipping Crackdown: The council claims to have issued over 18,000 fly-tipping enforcements between April and September 2025.
  • Estate Improvements: The council reports installing nearly 1,000 new bins and 200 new bin enclosures on housing estates.
  • Food Waste Rollout: Around 101,000 households are now receiving weekly food waste collections, with plans to expand the service to all council-managed properties by mid-December 2025.

Environment Committee Focuses on Cleaner Borough, Flood Risk, and Parkrun

The Environment Committee convened to discuss a range of environmental issues, including the Cleaner Borough project, flood risk management, and the Battersea Park parkrun. Read the full meeting details here.

  • Cleaner Borough Phase 2: The committee received an update on the Cleaner Borough campaign, an initiative to improve the cleanliness and appearance of the borough.
  • Lead Local Flood Authority Update: As a Lead Local Flood Authority, Wandsworth Council is responsible for managing the risk of local flooding from surface water, groundwater, and ordinary watercourses1. The committee discussed the council's activities and performance in this area.
  • Battersea parkrun Evaluation: The committee discussed the first-year evaluation of the Battersea Park parkrun, a free, weekly, timed 5km run.

Other Matters

  • The Passenger Transport Liaison Group and the Health Committee also met, but no transcripts or summaries were available.

Upcoming Meetings

Here's a list of upcoming meetings and their main topics:

  1. Ordinary watercourses are all rivers, streams, ditches, drains, cuts, culverts, dikes, sluices, sewers (other than public sewers within the meaning of the Water Industry Act 1991) and passages through which water flows. ↩

Wandsworth: Putney Congestion, Rider Safety, Violence Against Women

This week in Wandsworth:

Putney Congestion Fixes Remain Elusive as Council Reviews Junction Changes

Residents are still facing congestion around Putney Bridge despite changes made to the junction with Lower Richmond Road and Putney High Street. The Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the ongoing issues, which have disproportionately impacted those relying on public transport and local businesses. Read the full meeting details here.

  • The Stakes: Traffic congestion impacts air quality, commute times, and the economic vitality of Putney.
  • AECOM Review: An AECOM review found that the signal timings implemented did not match the original proposal approved by Transport for London (TfL).
  • Traffic Volume: The review also found a significant increase in cyclists and pedestrians using the junction since July 2021, when the data used to model the junction changes was collected.
  • Creeping Loss of Hip to Gable : During a discussion of planning application 93 Wakehurst Road at the Planning Applications Committee, Councillor Govindia noted, in effect, that there has already been a creeping loss of hip to gable. And I just wonder what do we do to actually arrest that creeping loss of that distinctive bit of... Every justification to allow one to fall means that the creep carries on. I just don't think we're being firm enough in resisting that effectively filling in that bit of the sky.
  • No Going Back: The committee heard that reverting to the old junction layout is not an option, as it would not meet current design standards and safety requirements set by TfL.
  • Ongoing Efforts: The council has implemented several changes, including updated lane layouts, extended bus lane hours, and amended signal timings, but congestion persists.
  • Wider Factors: The report pack noted that various factors were influencing the traffic congestion in Putney, aside from the junction changes. These included the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge, the Clean Air Neighbourhood changes north of Wandsworth Bridge, and road and street works in and outside of the borough causing traffic displacement to the Putney area.

Delivery Rider Safety and Congestion Under Scrutiny

The Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee also discussed the growing presence of delivery riders in Wandsworth and the challenges they pose. Read the full meeting details here.

  • The Stakes: The rise of delivery services impacts road safety, congestion, and the working conditions of riders, who often face pressure to meet tight deadlines.
  • APPG Report: The committee considered a report by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking, which highlighted issues such as battery fires caused by unregulated e-bikes and the exploitation of gig economy riders.
  • Congregation Hotspots: Delivery riders are often observed congregating near busy restaurants and in town centre locations, causing congestion and difficulties for other road users.
  • Next Steps: The committee is expected to revisit the topic in 2026 with an update on potential interventions to better manage delivery riders in Wandsworth.

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls: A Cross-Party Priority

The Health and Children's Overview and Scrutiny Committees met jointly to discuss the interim scoping report from the Violence Against Women and Girls Task and Finish Group. Read the full meeting details here.

  • The Stakes: Violence against women and girls is a pervasive issue with devastating consequences for individuals and communities.
  • Youth Council Input: Members of the Youth Council shared their reflections on priority areas for young people, including expanding CCTV, classes around respecting young women, and social media messaging to challenge misogyny.
  • Refuge's Perspective: Isabel LaRossi, Operations Manager for Refuge, emphasized the importance of early identification of abuse, support for hidden groups, trauma-informed practice, and integrated mental health support.
  • Honour-Based Abuse: A councillor raised the issue of honour-based abuse, prompting a discussion of the council's efforts to encourage victims to speak out and raise public awareness.
  • Curriculum Changes: Youth Council members suggested curriculum changes to make lessons more interactive and directly address misogyny.
  • Group Exploitation Scandals: Councillor Daniel Ghossain expressed concern that the report did not mention large-scale group exploitation scandals and asked for a commitment to learning from those cases.
  • Phones in Schools: A councillor raised the issue of phones in schools and the potential risks they pose to young women and girls.

Other Matters

  • The Planning Applications Committee, the Health Committee, the Children's Committee, the Licensing Sub-Committee and the Cabinet also met, but no transcripts or summaries were available.

Upcoming Meetings

Here's a list of upcoming meetings and their main topics:

Wandsworth Council flags housing & data concerns, risk strategy overhaul

This week in Wandsworth:

Audit Committee Flags Housing Regulator Weakness and Data Concerns

The Wandsworth Council Audit Committee convened this week, focusing on governance, risk management, and fraud prevention. A key discussion point was the external audit report, which highlighted a significant weakness related to a previous Housing Regulator C3 report1 and ongoing concerns about data quality. You can read the full transcript here.

  • The Stakes: These issues could impact the council's reputation, financial stability, and ability to effectively manage its housing stock.
  • Housing Regulator's Report: Ben Lazarus from Ernst & Young (EY), the external auditor, stated that the timing of the Housing Regulator's C3 report, which concluded in February 2025, made it necessary to raise a significant weakness in value for money. He said, It's kind of my obligation to make a commentary on the arrangements that were in place during that financial period.
  • Data Quality Concerns: Lazarus also raised concerns about the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) valuation, stating that the data provided made it difficult to determine if transactions were recorded in the correct year. He said, We have got a relatively fundamental point that says the data that you are providing us makes it really difficult for us to get comfortable that the transactions are being recorded in the right year across two or three years.
  • Council Response: Catherine Burstyn, Director of Financial Management, acknowledged the concerns and stated that the council was working to address them. She said, I think our relationship has improved in this audit. So I think it's been generally moving in the right direction, as Ben has noted.
  • Sector-Wide Challenges: Councillor Annamarie Critchard noted that challenges in obtaining unqualified audit opinions are not unique to Wandsworth, but are a sector-wide issue. Lazarus confirmed this, stating that there had been a sector-wide reset of audit in the sector.
  • Fleet Vehicle Policy Delays: Councillor Mrs. Kim Caddy questioned why a single policy on fleet management was still under review by HR and the legal team. Andrew Hamilton, Head of the Shared Audit Service, explained that the final report was issued in June 2025, and the recommendations are in progress.

Risk Management Strategy Gets an Overhaul

The Audit Committee also discussed an updated approach to risk management, aiming to improve evidence and oversight of risk mitigation at all levels of the council. You can read the full transcript here.

  • The Stakes: A robust risk management strategy is crucial for protecting council assets, ensuring service delivery, and maintaining public trust.
  • Bottom-Up Approach: Paul Giulioti, Director of Financial Services, explained that the new approach would involve four reports going to the directors board, feeding in from divisional directors and executive directors, to show how risks are being managed at each level.
  • Digital Platform: The council is working with the IT team to develop a digital platform for risk management, which will allow for better tracking and reporting of risks.
  • Member Engagement: The updated strategy aims to strengthen member engagement by providing more frequent and detailed information on risk management.

Fraud Prevention Efforts Highlighted

The Audit Committee received a fraud update for 2025/26, presented by the Head of Fraud. You can read the full transcript here.

  • The Stakes: Effective fraud prevention is essential for protecting public funds and ensuring that resources are used for their intended purpose.
  • Southwest London Fraud Partnership: Councillor Critchard asked about an audit on the Southwest London Fraud Partnership. Kevin Holland, Assistant Director of Fraud Risk, explained that the audit found the partnership's procedures satisfactory and made recommendations for updating the partnership agreement.

Other Matters

  • The Richmond and Wandsworth Joint Staffing Committee and the Passenger Transport Liaison Group also met, but no transcripts or summaries were available.

Upcoming Meetings

Here's a list of upcoming meetings and their main topics:

  1. A C3 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing indicates that an organisation has breached consumer standards and there has been (or there is a risk of) serious detriment to tenants. ↩

Wandsworth School Closure, Station Upgrade, and Community Grants

This week in Wandsworth:

Bradstow School Closure Approved Amidst Heartbreak and Financial Realities

Wandsworth Council's Cabinet voted to close Bradstow School, a special needs school, due to severe financial difficulties, a decision that has been met with sadness and concern from the school community. You can read the full details here.

  • The Stakes: The closure will impact vulnerable children with complex needs, their families, and the school's dedicated staff.
  • Financial Crisis: The school faces an accumulated deficit of close to £1 million, on top of £4.9 million of debt from previous years that other councils are refusing to pay.
  • Councillor Gasser's Regret: Councillor Judi Gasser, Cabinet Member for Children, expressed her sadness at having to present the recommendation, acknowledging the tireless efforts of the school community. She stated that the decision was made because the council wants to keep as many children as possible in mainstream or local specialist provision.
  • School's Plea: Polly Benton, the school business manager, addressed the committee, highlighting the school's importance to vulnerable children and families, and urging the council to allow more time for academisation with the Bridge Academy Trust. She stated that the school would be financially viable if it had been allowed to take pupils this year.
  • Legal Action for Debt Recovery: Councillor Henderson described the £4.2 million debt owed by Kent County Council as outrageous and asked about plans to recover the debt. Councillor Gasser responded that legal proceedings were being pursued to recover the money.
  • Support for Staff: Councillor Dikerdem raised concerns about the impact on the school's workforce and asked what support would be provided. Councillor Gasser confirmed that a recruitment consultant and the council's HR team would assist staff in finding new jobs.

Wandsworth Town Station Set for £20 Million Upgrade

The Cabinet supported a £20 million investment package for Wandsworth Town Station, including a second entrance and new lifts, a move that promises to improve accessibility and ease congestion. You can read the full details here.

  • The Stakes: The improvements will benefit commuters, particularly those with mobility issues, and support the growing residential population in the area.
  • Funding Sources: The funding will come from the Department for Transport's Access for All programme, contingent on a contribution from the council using development contributions from property developers.
  • Step-Free Access: Councillor Akinola welcomed the step-free access, particularly for those with mobility issues.
  • Second Entrance: The second entrance will be on Swandon Way, where there is a high concentration of new housing.

Grants Sub-Committee Allocates Funds to Community Spaces and Food Projects

The Grants Sub-Committee met to discuss recommendations for the Community Spaces and Inflationary Pressures Grant Fund, allocating funds to various organisations supporting vulnerable residents during the cost of living crisis. You can read the full details here.

  • The Stakes: These grants will provide vital support to community spaces and food projects, helping residents cope with rising costs and reduce isolation.
  • £250,000 Fund: A total of £250,000 is available for distribution, including £50,000 for capacity building support.
  • Priorities: The fund prioritizes community spaces and food projects, as well as core programme costs for organisations struggling with increased demand due to inflationary pressures.
  • Successful Applicants: Grants were recommended for organisations such as Age UK Wandsworth, Carney's Community, Earlsfield Foodbank, and Katherine Low Settlement, among others.
  • Sound Minds Reconsidered: The committee initially declined to fund Sound Minds, but then voted to grant the application and monitor it very closely and possibly support the organization in terms of helping them understand monitoring processes and helping them with future applications to understand the process with the writing.

Other Matters

  • The Cabinet approved the annual review of fees and charges, with most fees increasing by the rate of inflation. However, parking charges will be frozen for the coming year, recognizing the challenges people face with the cost of living.
  • The Cabinet received a progress update on the Clapham Junction Urban Heart Masterplan, which aims to create a strategic approach to development and growth in the area.
  • The Cabinet approved a new domestic abuse policy, which aims to ensure that housing officers are up-to-date with modern practices in identifying and processing cases of domestic abuse.
  • The Cabinet received an update on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) business plan, which outlines the long-term strategic and financial planning for council housing.
  • The Cabinet approved a positive general fund revenue budget variation of £650,000 in 2025-26, and £550,000 in 2026-27 in order to expand the care technology service.

Upcoming Meetings

Here's a list of upcoming meetings and their main topics:

Wandsworth Council: Housing Costs Rise, Rent Pressure Looms

This week in Wandsworth:

Council Housing Upgrade Costs Soar, Putting Pressure on Rents

The Borough Residents' Forum met to discuss the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan Update, revealing significant cost increases for maintaining council housing stock. You can read the full details here. These rising costs, driven by new safety regulations and aging buildings, could put pressure on future rent increases for social housing tenants.

  • The Stakes: This update highlights the financial challenges of maintaining and improving council housing, potentially impacting affordability and quality of life for residents.
  • Capital Expenditure Increase: The HRA Business Plan includes a total capital expenditure of £498.495m for 2025-2028, with additional budget variations approved for the Winstanley and York Road Place programme (£3.48m) and property acquisitions to reduce homelessness (£25m).
  • Building Safety Act Costs: New requirements from the Building Safety Act have added a £1.6m contingency for capital projects on Higher Risk Buildings.
  • Fairfield Court Window Renewal: The cost of window renewal at Fairfield Court has increased by £0.4m due to higher than expected tender costs.
  • Fire Safety Concerns: Following a fire at Fox House on the Wynter Street Estate, a £0.5m capital budget addition is needed for fire safety works.
  • Stock Condition Survey: A full new stock condition survey is underway, inspecting 100% of tenanted properties over five years, to better estimate future capital investment needs.
  • Carbon Neutral Goal: While the council aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, improving the energy efficiency of housing stock could cost around £225m.
  • Repairs and Vacant Properties: New regulations around building and fire safety, and damp and mould (Awaab's Law) are significantly increasing expenditure. The cost of bringing vacant properties back into use is also a major pressure.
  • Rent Increases: Future rent increases for social rent properties are assumed to be in line with the maximum permissible each year, but no formal decisions have been made. The government is also consulting on potentially reintroducing 'rent convergence', which could increase rents faster for tenants with historically low rents.

Food Waste Bags and Lift Faults: Residents' Concerns Aired

The Borough Residents' Forum also reviewed the minutes from its previous meeting on 11 June 2025, highlighting ongoing concerns about local services. You can read the full details here.

  • Food Waste Bags: Residents raised concerns about the thinness of food waste bags. Councillor Aydin Dikerdem, Cabinet Member for Housing, advised that the bags were biodegradable and should be doubled up if necessary.
  • Lift Faults: Issues with lift faults at Ethelburga Tower were discussed.
  • Other Issues: The forum also discussed heating and hot water charges, delivery of council magazines, resident meetings with contractors, and Thames Water charges for residents in flats.

Upcoming Meetings

Here's a list of upcoming meetings and their main topics:

Health and Wellbeing Board

Wandsworth Council

The Wandsworth Health and Wellbeing Board is scheduled to meet on 4 December 2025 to discuss several key issues, including safeguarding adults, the health and wellbeing of children, and pharmaceutical needs in the borough. The board will also look at the findings of a study into adult social care.

December 04, 2025
Finance Committee

Wandsworth Council

The Finance Overview and Scrutiny Committee are scheduled to meet to discuss customer service, treasury investments, demand pressures, and their work programme. The committee will also receive reports on annual corporate complaints and key performance indicators.

December 03, 2025
Grants Sub-Committee

Wandsworth Council

We have not been able to find a video broadcast of this meeting.

December 02, 2025
Licensing Sub-Committee

Wandsworth Council

We have not been able to find a video broadcast of this meeting.

December 02, 2025
Finance Committee

Agenda and minutes

Here is a summary of the upcoming Finance Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.

December 01, 2025
Committee

Wandsworth Council

The Wandsworth Schools Forum met to discuss school funding, special educational needs, and pupil population projections. The forum agreed to set aside £40,000 from the SEN Support fund for Year 3 of the Enhanced Transition Project (ETP). Members also agreed to model the Minimum Funding Guarantee at 0% and -0.5% for a move of 10% (minimum) towards National Funding Formula (NFF), 20% and 100% closer to NFF.

December 01, 2025
Health and Wellbeing Board

Agenda and minutes

The Wandsworth Health and Wellbeing Board is scheduled to meet on 27 February 2025 to discuss a range of health and wellbeing issues affecting the borough. These include updates on the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the South West London Mental Health Strategy, the Culturally Mindful Programme, the NHS 10 Year Health Plan consultation, and the Better Care Fund. The board will also be considering its work programme for the year.

December 01, 2025
Cabinet

Wandsworth Council

The Wandsworth Council cabinet is scheduled to meet to discuss housing developments, property licensing, environmental issues, and financial matters. The meeting will cover topics such as the Battersea Power Station Council Housing project, the Alton Estate Renewal, expansion of selective property licensing, and the Cleaner Borough Plan. Additionally, the cabinet will discuss the procurement of arboriculture services, supplementary planning documents, treasury management, corporate plan performance, financial updates, and the write-off of irrecoverable debts.

December 01, 2025
Committee

Agenda and minutes

The Wandsworth Schools Forum convened to discuss and approve several key initiatives, including the High Needs Budget for the financial year 2025-26, an Enhanced Reception Support Project, and updates on the SEN Support Fund and Enhanced Transition Project. The forum also noted future meeting dates and approved the minutes from the previous meeting.

December 01, 2025
Health Committee

Agenda and minutes

The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee are scheduled to discuss a range of topics, including updates from local NHS trusts, integrated care developments, the council's CCTV strategy, and sexual and reproductive health initiatives. The committee will also review the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework annual report and budget monitoring.

December 01, 2025
Safer Neighbourhood Board

Wandsworth Council

December 09, 2025
Council

Wandsworth Council

December 10, 2025
Joint Pensions Committee

Wandsworth Council

December 11, 2025
Safer Neighbourhood Board

Wandsworth Council

December 15, 2025
Unknown Committee

Wandsworth Council

December 16, 2025
Unknown Committee

Wandsworth Council

December 16, 2025
London Heliport Consultative Group

Wandsworth Council

December 17, 2025
Unknown Committee

Wandsworth Council

December 18, 2025